Miles to go
by Triss Kelion
Summary: Teyla has always tried her best, as a leader of her people, as a friend, as a general, as a knight. It did not always work out for the best.  /What if the Pegasus galaxy was not quite as backwards as the Earth people thought? What if there was more to it?


The transport came late and Teyla had quite a task of calming down the Athosians who chose to see it as another slight from the Republic. Here on the Outer Rim the faith in the Republic was not very strong. Why should we trust the Republic, people asked, why should we ally with them? With the rumors of tensions in the core worlds and the odd remnants of the Sith fleet occasionally deciding to try their chance in one of the Outer Rim planets, they did not feel very secure.

Teyla's been gone for years and came back changed. Her standing among her people was shaky at best. Wary of the politicians and still distrusted by many in the Republic despite her sacrifices, she chose to remove herself to this far away world, Athos. Here, at least, she was not seen as the murderer, the traitor. Here, she could be just Teyla.

But life here did not mean isolation. They still needed contacts within the core worlds, they still needed this shipments of medicine and technology that they did not produce themselves.

While not unknown in the core worlds, the stargates were not active there. Somehow, some time ago they ceased to function closer to Coruscant. Athos and many of its neighbor worlds could still use gate travel, though, and did so often. Unfortunately the same deals that made it possible for them to remain independent from the Republic also left them open to treats such as the Wraith. Teyla was quite sure that this old enemy was in fact the very origin of the Sith. She could feel it, the darkness in them. And so she chose to come back, here, to this almost primitive world, to crack the secrets of the Wraith. The Jedi thought it crazy, the idea that there were true Sith still out there. Or perhaps they were just tired of the war, of fighting, and hoped to have some time to settle first. Teyla wasn't sure and didn't really care. She was glad the order was healing and growing again but she yearned to leave its confines. Even if it meant leaving Carth and Mission, Jolee and Juhani and all the others behind.

She shook herself of these dark thoughts. Be mindful of the present.

The ramp lowered and two Twileks emerged from the ship. They looked uneasy.

'Greetings.' Said the green male. 'Forgive us the delay. The Hutts have grown stronger and braver in their attacks.'

Teyla frowned, 'I though they did not venture close to this worlds.'

'They do now. We're the last of the traders willing to fly this close to their planets and the losses we take are now too great to make this profitable.' He looked apologetic and tired. Teyla could sense no lies. It was worrisome. The outer rim planets would have to rely on the stargate trade alone from now on.

The last shipment exchanged hands and the ship hastily left the Athos space. The air was calm and quiet while Teyla walked towards the village. The Force told her to remain vigilant, though. Something was coming. She feared a Wraith attack but it did not feel quite right. With a sight she entered the meeting house. They had some planning to do to reestablish old trade routes.

'We don't need the core worlds for survival. The outer rim planets within the stargate nets reach can provide the basics we need.' She argued.

'What about med kits?' asked Joldar. 'We can't get that in any of the neighbor worlds. What will we use for healing? Plants?' he snorted in derision. 'The Republic is leaving us to die again.' Some murmurs followed his outburst.

'We can contact the Travelers. They can still reach the Republic worlds.' Teyla said loudly.

'It'll cost.' Said Halling. 'But it's an idea.' The murmurs quieted down.

'But we lost contact with them and with the culling on Lontir we don't have means to contact them anymore.' Argued Joldar.

'There's still Sateda.' Said Teyla. Travelers were known to periodically visit that wolrd.

'They're not too friendly these days.' interjected Kira, 'They're as likely to not open the gate and let us just die.'

Teyla frowned, she hadn't realized just how isolated the planets have grown to be this last decade. More Wraith attacks occurred and more unfriendly the world grew. There has been too many opportunists who sold people to the Wraith, too many Wraith worshippers. Not unlike the Sith. She though sadly. And there was that connection again. The Jedi. There used to be a small Academy on Sateda.

'I'll contact them. They'll let me through.'

It has been ten years since she's been there last and she has acquired quite a reputation since but they let her through. The gate opened. Jedi, Revan, Knight. Words that still held meaning here. Uneasy, she stepped through.

She hoped to settle the trade deals first, to contact the Travelers through the Satedans and have it over with. Done, settled. But it seemed the Jedi were pulling her in again. An eager young padawan anticipated her arrival and jumped at attention almost right away. Leading her to the Academy, not letting her get a word in. He prattled about what an honor it was and nervously, but trying to hide it, asked countless questions about the war. She had no heart to scold him and evasively, answered some of them, 'yes, Malak was dead', 'no, Coruscant temple was not destroyed.'

She forgot, they were a little different, these Jedi. They did not ally entirely with the order. They chose a somewhat different path. Jolee would like them. They did not believe in stifling emotion entirely. They worked through them. But not allying with the order meant there were many times less of them. Only some outer rim planets send their hopefuls here.

As they walked through the Academy grounds she noticed several older Knights around. One male in dreadlocks seemed to have quite a joyous greeting with a female Satedan. Ah, yes, they most definitely did not forsake emotions. She observed the couple kissing and felt a pang of regret - the thought of a certain military man back in the core world. She frowned and looked away.

The meeting didn't take long. There wasn't much to say. Revan's tale somehow has already reached this world. They were most curious about Jolee, not that Teyla was surprised. She smiled at the thought of Jolee moving to Sateda. She would have liked having him closer here.

The Jedi agreed to contact the Travelers as well. But the trade was not their concern, that was the government's area of interest and so most of the talks centered around the Wraith. Teyla found herself most eager listeners regarding her theories of Sith and Wraith being related, somehow.

Somewhere along the way, the number of listeners grew and soon the room was full. Teyla could not help but feel joy at the presence of so many Jedi in one room. She missed that. The Force was present and strong and it settled around her like a blanket. Then suddenly she felt a pull, as if a whirlwind sucked all the Force in one direction. She turned and met most intense eyes. It was the dreadlocked Jedi, having just came in. She blinked and recognition dawned on her. She's seen him before- in the Republic, in the main Academy. He followed her to war. A pang of regret, of shame, of sorrow. She steeled herself; let go. Calmly she met his eyes. She'd talk to him before leaving this world, she promised herself.

Soon enough the meeting was over and Teyla honed in on Ronon's force signature. He was strong in the Force. Unmistakable. He seemed to be waiting for her. He looked calm but the Force waivered. He was holding in some strong emotions.

'Revan.' He said, it sounded accusatory.

'Ronon.' He looked almost surprised she remembered his name.

'You're a Jedi once more.'

She nodded, though it seemed unnecessary, 'And you've left the Order.' She observed.

'Exiled.' Ronon started to pace, 'Exiled, because of you.' His words were almost a growl. Suddenly he paused mid step. As if containing himself, drawing in all that emotion, the energy. Calm again, he half smiled.

'Though it seems for the best now, I'm needed here.' He turned to look towards the city center. She had a feeling he was thinking of that woman he so joyously kissed earlier.

'You are changed.'

'So are you.' It seemed they enjoyed stating the obvious. Teyla smiled slightly. It didn't seem as if the conversation would go any farther. She had a feeling they would talk yet, some other time, at length. The impact she had on his life was too vast not to. But not today. Still, some words were needed now. She inclined her head towards him, 'I'm sorry.'

He seemed to understand. He eyed her, measuring; she felt the Force touch her lightly and then let go. He nodded. 'Some other time.'

'Yes.'

The journey to Sateda left her in a pensive mood. Trade was settled, but old ghosts were stirred. She had hoped she paid enough of a price for her deeds already but it seemed Revan Teyla Emmagan has not finished paying her dues yet.

A young boy run in the meeting house. 'Strangers! Strangers in the city of the Ancestors!'

Like the swoosh of the gate's horizon breaking, like the wail of the Wraith dart, the Force was screaming inside her. Change was coming.


End file.
